Surgical brace



Nov. 24, 1925. 1,562,935

A. H. WHISNER SURGICAL BRACE Filed April 18. 1923 A./1. whim momPatented Nov. 24, 1925.

UNITED. STATES ALLEN HAMMOND WHISNER, OF GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.

SURGICAL BRACE.

Application filed April 18, 1923.

Purposes.

PathoZogz'caZZy.-In certain pathological conditions, to secure relieffrom mechanical pinch upon spinal nerve roots caused by motion of thespine upon itself, as in bendmg or twisting, or by jar or pressure, asin walking or lifting.

Meehrm ioa ZZg .First, to immobilize, or

( stiffen, the spine, that is, to prevent, as far as possible, allmotion of the spine upon itself, such as stooping, or bending in anydirection, or twisting movements of any kind.

Second, to secure from the point of attachment at the hips some verticalsupport for the upper part of the trunk.

Uses.

In arthritic spine where there is narrowing of the spinal foramina dueto bacterial activity in the spinal t1ssues,

In tubercular spine.

In spinal curvatures.

In all abnormal spinal conditions where there is muscular strain and aconsequent sense of physical weakness in those parts.

Advantages.

The device is inconspicuous since it conforms closely to the body lines.

It is safe and fairly comfortable since the basis of support is the bonystructure and no vital part is subjected to injurious pressure.

There are no rigid steels up and down the back.

All points of support are well padded with thick wool felt.

The shoulder pads are made to release for more freedom of arm andshoulder move- Serial No. 632,868.

ment when the patient wishes to lie down, or upon other occasions.

The device is made adjustable, so that it can be readily fitted todifferent patients.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appearand the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which,with the numerals of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and in which- Figure 1 is a front view showing the braceor support as in use.

Figure 2 is a rear view.

Figure 3 is a side view.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44l of Figure 1.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the differentviews.

Application of the dom'ee-for posterior support.

Anterior f aZera.-The device provides three fulcra on the anteriorsurface of the body, one in front of each shoulder, and one upon thepubic bone. At these points steel pads 1-24 are fitted to the body, thepads 1 and 2 in front of the shoulders being padded with wool felt orthe like, as seen at '3 in Figure 1; the pubic pad 4 may or may not beprovided with a fabric or other padding, as may be desired.

The shoulder pads are connected by ball and socket joints 5 with shorttwisted, preferably steel, straps 6, each of which articulates atsubstantially its midlength upon a pivot 7 upon the top of each uprightside.

steel 8, while its lower end is retained in position by a hook oranalogous member 9 held in engagement with the end of the steel 6 by aspring 10, see Figure 3, except when greater freedom of arm and shoulderis required.

The pubic pad 4: may, if desired, be made detachable, in which caseits'center post 11 may be inserted through an opening in the lower end,or apex, 12, of the double curved abdominal steel 13, or it may be thereattached by a ball and socket joint, as indicated at it in Figure 4. Theupper ends of the side members of this double curved abdominal steel areattached to the upright side steels 8 above the crest of the ilium bysuitable means, as, for instance, two short lugs or the like 15, havingprovision for adjustment, as seen at 16 in Figure 3. Near the bottom ofthe upright side steels are at tached straps 17 of leather or othersuitable material, the other end being provided with suitable means ofadjustment and connected with the abdominal steel 13 at a point abouttwo-thirds of the length downward of the latter, as seen at 18, suchadjustment being provided to regulate the downward and backward pressureupon the pubic bone. One side of the abdominal steel 13 is made readilydetachable for putting on and ofi. This arrangement and combinationgives a rigid anterior base for leverage for posterior support.

For posterior leverages. Posterior support is secured by the device attwo points In the dorsal section support is secured by means of a broadband or corset-like member 19, see Figure 2, which is attached at itsends to the side steels S and arranged under the arm pits and providedat the back with suitable lacing 20 for adjustment as oocasion mayrequire. This grips the dorsal spine forward into proper position, andassists also in securing it laterally.

In the lumbo-sacral support is secured by means of the sacral pad 21 ofsuitable material carried by the member 22 having at each end adjustablelugs or the like 23 which are attached to small upright steels 24, thelower ends of which are attached to the steel hip band 25,the upper endsto a smaller metallic waist band'26, the ends of which waist band areconnected to said side steels 8. The hip and waist bands 25 and 26 donot touch the body. Two straps pref-v erably of canvas hold the pad inaccurate position just back of the prominent upper edge of the sacrum.These straps 41 and 10 are stretched tight just back of each end of thepelvic pad, pass vertically over the steelbands 25' and 26, and areattached to the pad and secured to the bands in such a way thatthe padcannot move up or down. By means of these straps this pad may be raisedor lowered as desired. In this position, somewhat above the level of thepubic bone, the sacral pad pulls firmly forward on the top of thepelvis, while the pubic pad thrusts downward and backward upon thebottom, thus effecting proper correction, of the backward sag of thelumbo-sacral section of the spine.

27 are elastic straps attached at their upper ends to the shoulder pads1 and 2, as seen in Figures 1 and 2, which are crossed over theshoulders, and passed diagonally down the back to hooks or any suitablefastenings 28 on the short upright steels 24; at

the ends of the sacral pad, thus holding thev shoulder pads in properposition.

On each side steel 8 just below the hook 9 is a hook 29 for the supportof drawers and trousers, the trousers Suspender passing through buttonholes ,in the shirt. Short members or spurs 30 attached at intervals tothe waist band 26, as seen in Figure 2, serve to receive the pressurefrom the trousers band and belt.

'31, are angle braces at the junction of the hip band 25 and the uprightside steels 8, and adjustably'connected with the latter, as seen inFigure 3, to fix the hip band at the proper elevation and to stiffen thedevice at these points.

For rertoal supp0rt.The device is built upon the great trochanters ofthe femurs, or thigh bones, steel backed pads 32, preferably providedwith ball and socket joints, being secured firmly in place by means ofstraps 38 buckling in front and the steel band 25 reaching around thehips, ball and socket joints attaching these pads to the lower ends ofthe upright side steels 8. At the top of these side steels a shortcurved steel 34: reaches back under the arms, receiving much of theweight of the upper part of the trunk. A slight lift is also secured bythe downward thrust upon the pubic bone. Considerably more may besecured, if desired, by tightening the lower lares of the band 19.

Almost complete lateral stiffening is secured by means of the closefitting side steels in connection with their attachmentsthe adjustablelugs attaching to the abdominal steel, the under arm steels, and thefirmly seated hip pads;

The angle braces, the waist band and the hip band, and the firm gripupon pelvic and dorsal sections, in connection with the stout quality ofthe upright side steels, make it difficult toexecute a twist movement insuch a brace.

Modifications in detail'may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

lVhat is claimed as new is 1. In a surgical brace, means for affordingthree fulcra on the anterior surface of the body, onein front of eachshoulder and one upon the pubic bone, means for gripping the dorsalsection and for gripping the dorsal spine.

2. In a surgicalbrace, means for affording three fulcra on the anteriorsurface of the body, one in front of each shoulder and one 4. In asurgical brace, means for affording three fulcra on the anterior surfaceof the body, one in front of each shoulder and one upon the pubic bone,means for gripping the dorsal section and for gripping the dorsal spineforward into proper position and assisting in securing it laterally, anda sacral pad for affording support in the lumbesacral section.

In a surgical brace, front shoulder and pubic pads, giving a rigidanterior base for leverage for posterior support, a sacral pad forgripping the dorsal spine forward, a laced corset member in the dorsalsection, a hip band out of contact with the body of the wearer, aninelastic support therefor and a waist band also out of contact with thebody of the wearer.

6. In a surgical brace, means for affording three fulcra on the anteriorsurface of the body, one in front of each shoulder and one upon thepubic bone, means for gripping the dorsal section and for gripping thedorsal spine forward into proper position and assisting in securing itlaterally, a sacral pad for affording support in the lumbo-sacralsection, and means adapted to reach back under the arm to aid insustaining the weight of the upper part of the trunk.

7. In a surgical brace, means including pads for affording three fulcraon the anterior surface of the body, one in front of each shoulder andone upon the pubic bone, means for gripping the dorsal section and forgripping the dorsal spine forward into proper position and assisting insecuring it laterally, a sacral pad for affording support in thelumbo-sacral section, and firmly seated hip pads and inelastic supporttherefor.

8. In a surgical brace, front shoulder and pubic pads, giving a rigidanterior base for leverage for posterior support, a sacral pad, a lacedcorset member in the dorsal section for gripping the dorsal spineforward, a hip band out of contact with the body of the wearer, a waistband also out of contact with the body of the wearer, and means on thewaist band to receive the pressure from the trousers and belt.

9. In a surgical brace, side steels, shoulder pads, twisted metallicstraps joining said pads and steels, a double curved abdominal steelhaving its ends supported by said side steels, and a pubic pad carriedby said abdominal steel at the centre of the curved portion thereof.

1.0. In a surgical brace, side steels, shoulder pads, twisted metallicstraps joining said pads and steels, a double curved abdominal steelhaving its ends supported by said side steels, a pubic pad carried bysaid abdominal steel at the centre of the curved portion thereof, hipand waist bands connected to said steels, a sacral pad between the hipand Waist bands, and angle braces at the junctions of the hip band andside steels to stiffen the device at said points.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALLEN HAMMOND l/VHISNER.

